A Baby For Christmas

Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox, that the birth of the homeless Should be celebrated in every home. (G. K. Chesterton)

Christmas Lightens up a dark heart and brings hope to the hopeless (Scarlett)

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01

Christmas comes just like every other day for Arianna Smith. Apart from the decorations and the sumptuous meal, nothing special happens to her on Christmas.

When every other young girl celebrates this joyful season with new clothes, shoes and other accessories, Arianna barely gets a worn out shoe and used clothes from her cousin Brianna. A privilege just like her Aunt would always call it.

“Not all orphans get clothes to wear! Mona berates. She never forgets to remind Arianna of her state as an orphan.

Because of this Arianna started to nurture a dream of becoming a fashion designer, so she could always design a nice and beautiful clothes for herself during Christmas.

Arianna lived with her Aunt, Mona and Cousin Brianna in the city of Manhattan. she was an orphan who was lucky enough to have gotten a scholarship that saw her through high school.

She was a lover of fashion and designing and her dream was to design a cloth that will appear on New York's Fashion week and also receive the COTY Awards. However, all of her dreams were crushed due to lack of support and commission to go to a fashion school. Nevertheless, Arianna has a raw and rare talent in designing.

Brianna was envious of Arianna's beauty. She tried all she could but couldn't alter or match Arianna's beauty. So whenever she wants to pass down her used clothes to Arianna, she makes small holes in them or tears them in various parts before giving it to her. However, she gets more jealous when Arianna wears those clothes, because they always look different and beautiful thanks to the little touches Arianna makes to them.

Arianna works as a chef in a sweetshop close to the house but all of the income she gets from working as a chef in (Passion and Delights) are spent on the household expenses, leaving nothing for her not even a dime.

Arianna never complains about her life because she believed in fairy tales, She believed that one day her Prince charming will come, sweep her off her feet and escape with her to his palace where she would live happily ever after.

Usually Arianna went to work everyday and stays until very late on Christmas Eve so she could have a rest on Christmas day. She always had to prepare a long list of orders of sweets and confections for some households for the celebrations.

This Christmas was the same, Arianna has a long list of sweets she had to prepare which were to be delivered for the celebration.

It was only two weeks before Christmas and Arianna still hasn't completed the orders she had. She worked until late hours and got home by 11 p.m everyday.

Arianna met her Aunt waiting in the living room. "Hello Aunt," She greeted hoping she had no chores lining up for her because she was extremely tired. Arianna moved to go to her room, but was stopped by her Mona's anger filled voice.

“Why haven't you brought home your salary? Don't you know we have to buy things to be used for Christmas? Every other house already has a Christmas tree and is already decorated only our house hasn't and it's all thanks to you!

Arianna sighed and offered a sincere apology. “I'm sorry Aunt Mona, My boss said she would pay me tomorrow. I'll give you the money as soon as I get it."

“No way!" Mona disagreed. "I must get the money tonight! If your boss hasn't paid you then you should pay yourself! Do you think I do not know you have a savings box in the house?!

Arianna was surprised. Her mouth opened in shock. How did she find out? Her eyes almost fell out of its socket as she gasoed as soon as Mona said that.

Mona chuckled, “Well my dear, if your boss hasn't paid you yet, then you can just pay me from your savings."

Arianna was never a good liar so she could only stutter. “I..I don't know...what you are talking about."

"Oh really?" Mona shoved her aside and marched to her room, she searched the room but couldn't find the savings box. "Brianna said it was in here." Mona thought and called out to Brianna.

“Mom, you called for me?" Brianna asked as she entered the room.

“Yes sweetie, I called for you because I searched Arianna's room but I couldn't find that savings box you told me."

“Oh, it's right there Mom, where you are standing." Brianna moved to the table in the middle of the small room. She shifted the table and lifted the rug, there was a hole in the ground and inside the hole was a tin box.

Arianna rushed forward to stop Brianna from bringing out the box. “No! You can't take that!"

Mona grabbed Arianna's hair and pulled her away from Brianna. “You said you had no money, where did this come from? Huh?"

“That's my savings! Arianna cried. I give you all of my salary but I save these from the tips I get at work!"

“You have no right to save money! I raised You, You ingrate! You should serve me with all you have!" Mona yelled throwing tons of spit in Arianna's face.

“Please, don't take that! Arianna begged. "I will give you my salary tomorrow."

Mona Laughed. “I will surely collect your salary tomorrow, but this.." she raise the tin box “...I won't return! Laughing hysterically Mona turned to Brianna and said, “Lets go dear."

“Aunt Mona please, that's my savings for the future. Please don't take it." Arianna pleaded with tears.

Mona ignored her pleas and left the room laughing happily with Brianna. They were finally going to have their long awaited Christmas shopping.

Arianna sat on the floor and wept looking at the empty hole. Her life was as hollow and empty just like the hole. That money was all she had saved all her life, she was planning to start her own fashion brand with that money.

Arianna cried until there was no tears in her eyes shed. She looked up and smiled bitterly. "Another worst year to be added to my list." She laid down on the floor looking outside the window at the beautiful sky. “If only my life could be as beautiful as the sky."

Arianna didn't know when she fell asleep. That night She had a dream....

In that dream a beautiful fairy visited her and asked her to make a wish. “I never get anything I wish for so why should I bother making a wish?" said Arianna to the fairy.

The fairy Smiled and said, "It's Christmas season and I want to give you a gift. So tell me what do you want for Christmas?"

Arianna though long and hard but couldn't think of a gift that wouldn't get snatched away by her Aunt, so she said, “I want something extraordinary and Phenomenal to happen in my life!"

The fairy Smiled at Arianna and waved her wand. “So be it!"

Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most (Ruth Carter Stapleton)

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02

In a luxurious and exotic room...

A little girl laid on a beautiful canopy bed, there were machines attached to her body and an I.V was also inserted into her hand. A man was sitting beside her and was singing the 12 days of Christmas to her. The girl had a beautiful smile that could melt a stone on her face. Her green eyes twinkled brightly as she smiled.

“Daddy, You sing so well that others always sound odd to me. I love you singing to me every time and my favorites are those Christmas songs." Britney Croft sang her father's praise.

Her words of praise warmed Louis's heart as he stood up and went close to her. “Thank you Princess," Louis patted his daughter's hair gently and lovingly. “Close your eyes and get some sleep. “It's late and you should be restin